Arlington, Va. AeroVironment, Inc. (AV), a global defence technology leader, on October 14 announced a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Alpha Unmanned Systems S.L. to explore collaboration supporting AV’s JUMP 20 fixed-wing unmanned aircraft system (UAS), which features vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities.
The announcement is being made in connection with the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting & Exposition in Washington.
“A platform only delivers value when operators can keep it flying,” said Shane Hastings, senior vice president and general manager of uncrewed systems at AV. “This agreement is about exploring how to bring training, maintenance and sustainment closer to JUMP 20 customers in Europe, beginning with opportunities in Spain.”
The MoU establishes a framework for collaboration on JUMP 20 fielding, sustainment, training, maintenance and in-country and in-theater support, initially focused on Spain. The collaboration may expand to other markets in Europe and Latin America. The companies will also plan to evaluate integration of Alpha’s UAV subsystem products, including its GCASE Ground Control Station, GTRACK tracking system and AIS module, into the JUMP 20 platform.
“This collaboration with AV is a significant step for Alpha, pairing our subsystem technologies and in-country support capabilities with the JUMP 20 platform,” said Eric Freeman, CEO of Alpha Unmanned Systems. “Together, we intend to explore opportunities to strengthen local support for JUMP 20 in Spain, with the potential to support additional customers across Europe.”
